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Obama: 'Trayvon could've been me'

President Barack Obama discussed the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial in an unscheduled press conference on Friday.

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Updated: 10:25 PM EDT Jul 19, 2013

Obama: 'Trayvon could've been me'

President Barack Obama discussed the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial in an unscheduled press conference on Friday.

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Updated: 10:25 PM EDT Jul 19, 2013

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WEBVTT COMING UP ON THE WEEKEND STORM CHANCES. I SAID THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MY SON. ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THAT IS THAT TRAYVON MARTIN COULD HAVE BEEN ME. 35 YEARS AGO. PASSIONATE WORDS FROM PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA REIGNITE THE FIREY DEBATE OVER THE CONTROVERSIAL STAND YOUR GROUND LAW AND HIS WORDS COME ON THE DAY BEFORE PLANNED NATIONWIDE PROTESTS. DEMONSTRATORS WHO INITIALLY FAILED THE VERDICT -- HAILED THE VERDICT ARE HONING IN ON CONTROVERSIAL LAW. PROTESTORS ARE EXPECTED TO RALLY AT NOON TOMORROW. STEPHANIE? YEAH, THIS IS ONE OF 100 PROTEST LOCATIONS THAT WILL HAPPEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY TOMORROW. PROTESTORS ARE EXPECTED TO IT SEND A MESSAGE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGARDING THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRAYVON MARTIN SHOOTING. THEY ALSO WANT TO PUSH THAT THE STAND YOUR GROUND LAW BE REPEALED. Reporter: IT'S BEEN THE SOURCE OF PROTESTS ACROSS THE NATION. AND NOW PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS JOINED THE CONVERSATION ON THE CONTROVERSIAL STAND YOUR GROUND LAW. WE'RE SENDING A MESSAGE AS A SOCIETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT SOMEONE WHO IS ARMED POTENTIALLY HAS THE RIGHT TO USE THOSE FIREARMS, EVEN IF THERE'S A WAY FOR THEM TO EXIT. FROM A SITUATION. IS THAT REALLY GONNA BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE KIND OF PEACE AND SECURITY AND ORDER THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE. Reporter: PRESIDENT ASKED AT THE LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT TO RE-EXAMINE THEIR LAWS. TO SATISFY IF IT -- IF THEY ARE DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY MAY ENCOURAGE THE KIND OF ALTERCATIONS AND CONFRONTATIONS AND TRAGEDY THAT WE SAW IN THE FLORIDA CASE. THE AUTHOR, A FLORIDA STAND YOUR GROUND LAW, SENATOR DAVID SIMMONS OF THE A MONTH SPRINGS, WELCOME AS VIEW OF OF THE LAW, BUT SAYS IT WILL ONLY PROVE IT'S LEGISLATION TO -- THE LEGISLATION IS TO PROTECT INNOCENT VICTIMS. STAND YOUR GROUND IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO INNOCENT VICTIMS OF A CRIME WHEN THEY ARE ATTACKED BY ANOTHER PERSON AND IN FACT THAT OTHER PERSON HAS TO BE THE PERSON WHO PROVOKED THE USE OF FORCE. Reporter: AND FLORIDA'S GOVERNOR AGREES, TELLING A GROUP OF PROTESTORS THURSDAY THAT HE WILL NOT CALL A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION SO THE LAW CAN BE LOOKED AT. A SPECIAL TASK FORCE DID ALREADY REVIEW THE STAND YOUR GROUND LAW LAST YEAR AFTER TRAYVON MARTIN WAS SHOT. THAT GROUP, THOUGH, DECIDED NOT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE LAW. THAT, THOUGH, WILL NOT STOP THE PROTESTORS FROM BEING OUT HERE TOMORROW.

Obama: 'Trayvon could've been me'

President Barack Obama discussed the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial in an unscheduled press conference on Friday.